RHINELANDER - Two of the senators who voted against a bill to loosen mining regulations are now facing recall because of their actions.

Democrat Bob Jauch of Poplar and Republican Dale Schultz of Richland Center are now the target of recalls by a conservative group after the senators helped vote down mining legislation earlier this month.

The Milwaukee-based Citizens for Responsible Goverment has filed recall paperwork against both senators.


Gogebic Taconite, the company interested in mining in Ashland and Iron Counties, announced their withdrawal from Wisconsin after the vote.

Jauch represents a district that includes the proposed mine site.
"He did everything he could to stand in the way of the mine to make sure it did not go forward, even though a large number of his constituents were in support of it," says Orville Seymer, Field Operations Director for the Citizens for Responsible Government Network.

After the recall announcement, Jauch questioned the motives of the group.

"It seems to me that the Citizens for Responsible Government, which is nothing more than a fringe group with a polite title, is more interested in political conquest than working for the common good," says Jauch.

Jauch had worked across party lines with Schultz to propose a mining compromise that stalled in the Senate.

Jauch is particularly concerned about the attack on Schultz, his GOP colleague.

"What is most frightening is that they want to kneecap this official of the Republican Party because he dared work with a Democrat," he says.

More than 15,000 signatures still need to be collected in both districts to proceed with the recalls.

But it now means that six of the 33 Wisconsin senators are currently under recall threat.

Story By: Ben Meyer